Moacyr Antonio Mestriner

POPULATION DIFFERENTIATION AND RACIAL ADMIXTURE IN THE AFRICANIZED HONEYBEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.)

To study the degree of interpopulational differentiation and racial admixture in Africanized honeybees, we collected worker bees from three regions of Brazil (the northeast, the state of Sao Paulo, and Porto Alegre) and from Uruguay and determined their genotypes for 10 enzyme loci. We also performed a morphometric analysis on forewing measurements of worker bees from the northeast and Porto Alegre regions of Brazil and from Paysandu, Uruguay.

Genetic studies on the Ticuna, an eniǵmatic tribe of Central Amazonas

The Ticuna are an Amerindian tribe of Central Amazonas, a key location in theories of the peopling of eastern South America. The results of typing some 1760 members of the tribe with respect to 37 different genetic systems are reported, as are the results of HLA typings on a subsample of 129 persons. Salient findings include the following. (1) Except for a high frequency of the LMsallele and an unusual combination of HLA allele frequencies, there are no notable findings with respect to the commonly studied polymorphic systems. A multivariate treatment of six of the most commonly studied genetic polymorphisms accords the Ticuna an ‘average’ position among Amerindian tribes. (2) There is much less intervillage heterogeneity than usually encountered in Amerindian tribes; this is attributed to recent high rates of intervillage migration due to religious developments. (3) A thus‐far unique polymorphism of ACP1was identified, the responsible allele having a frequency of 0.111. (4) In proportion to the size of the tribe, there was a relative paucity of ‘private’ genetic variants, the ACP1 allele being the only one. This discrepancy is attributed to a relatively recent numerical expansion of the tribe; effective population size over the past several thousand years is thought to have been well below what present numbers would suggest. (5) The thesis is again advanced that ‘private variants’ (alleles not occurring as polymorphisms of wide distribution) are more common in Amerindian than in Caucasian or Japanese populations.

Esterase isozymes of Apis mellifera: Substrate and inhibition characteristics, developmental ontogeny, and electrophoretic variability

Starch gel electrophoresis utilizing different types of substrates and inhibitors made it possible to detect several esterases in crude extracts of Apis mellifera. Our results suggest that there are six Apis mellifera esterase isozymes (esterases 1–6) that differ not only in electrophoretic mobility but also in substrate specificity and inhibition properties. Some of the esterase isozymes are controlled by more than one allele. The frequency of these genetic variants was analyzed in four populations of Apis mellifera from several localities. Esterases 1, 2, and 4 do not exhibit developmental changes, but the electrophoretic profile of esterases 3, 4, and 6 varies during ontogenetic development.

Transferability and characterization of microsatellite markers in two Neotropical Ficus species

Microsatellite markers were transferred and characterized for two Neotropical fig tree species, Ficus citrifolia and Ficus eximia. Our study demonstrated that microsatellite markers developed from different subgenera of Ficus can be transferred to related species. In the present case, 12 of the 15 primer pairs tested (80%) were successfully transferred to both of the above species. Eleven loci were polymorphic when tested across 60 F. citrifolia and 60 F. eximia individuals. For F. citrifolia, there were 4 to 15 alleles per locus, whereas expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.31 to 0.91. In the case of F. eximia, this was 2 to 12 alleles per locus and expected heterozygosities from 0.42 to 0.87.

The Brazilian Xavante Indians revisited : New protein genetic studies

A total of 94 individuals from the Xavante village of Rio das Mortes were variously studied in relation to 28 protein genetic systems. No variation was observed for 15 of them, in accordance with previous studies. Of the remaining 13, four (Rh, Duffy, acid phosphatase, and GC) showed significant departures from the averages obtained in 32 other South American Indian populations. If studies performed in the 1960s are considered, there is indication that no significant changes in this villages gene pool has occurred in the last 30 years. Comparison with two other Xavante populations included nine systems with variation, and for three of them (MNSs, Rh, and Duffy) significant differences were found. Genetically the Rio das Mortes are closer to the São Marcos than to the Simões Lopes Xavantes. A dendrogram considering 25 genetic systems and 33 South American Indian populations was constructed. There the Xavante were grouped together, in two neighboring clusters, with three other tribes who speak Ge languages, But these clusters also present populations who speak other languages, and the reproducibility of the tree is low. South American Indians, at least with this set of markers, do not seem to be clearly classified into defined subgroups.

An efficient and rapid DNA minipreparation procedure suitable for PCR/SSR and RAPD analyses in tropical forest tree species

ABSTRACT An efficient and rapid DNA minipreparation modified method for frozen samples was developed for five tropical tree species: Copaifera langsdorffii, Hymenaea courbaril, Eugenia uniflora, Tabebuia roseo alba and Cariniana estrellensis. This procedure that dispenses the use of liquid nitrogen, phenol and the addition of proteinase K, is an adaptation of the CTAB-based DNA extraction method. The modifications included the use of PVP to eliminate the polyphenols, only one chloroform-isoamyl alcohol step and the addition of RNase immediately after extraction with chloroform. The yields of the DNA samples ranged from 25.7 to 42.1 µg from 100 mg leaf tissue. The DNA samples extracted by this method were successfully used for PCR (SSR and RAPD) analyses in these five and other twelve tropical tree species. Key words: Copaifera langsdorffii, Hymenaea courbaril, Eugenia uniflora, Tabebuia roseo alba, Cariniana estrellensis , DNA extraction * Author for correspondence: anaalzate@rge.fmrp.usp.br

Transferability and characterization of nine microsatellite markers for the tropical tree species Tabebuia roseo-alba

Microsatellite loci that were previously developed in the tropical tree Tabebuia aurea were used for the genetic analysis of Tabebuia roseo‐alba populations. Nine of 10 simple sequence repeat markers were amplified, and the polymorphism was assessed in 58 individuals sampled from two stands in southeastern Brazil. All loci were polymorphic with Mendelian inheritance. The allele numbers were high, ranging from 5 to 13 in population I and 3 to 7 in population II, with means of 8.9 and 5.5, respectively. We conclude that these markers can be efficiently used for parentage and gene‐flow studies.

Genetic characterization of 12 heterologous microsatellite markers for the giant tropical tree Cariniana legalis (Lecythidaceae)

Twelve microsatellite loci previously developed in the tropical tree Cariniana estrellensis were genetically characterized in Cariniana legalis. Polymorphisms were assessed in 28 C. legalis individuals found between the Pardo and Mogi-Guaçu River basins in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Of the 12 loci, 10 were polymorphic and exhibited Mendelian inheritance. The allelic richness at each locus ranged from 2-11, with an average of 7 alleles per locus, and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.07-0.88. These loci showed a high probability of paternity exclusion. The characteristics of these heterologous microsatellite markers indicate that they are suitable tools for investigating questions concerning population genetics in C. legalis.

PROTEIN GENETIC STUDIES AMONG THE TUPI-MONDE INDIANS OF THE BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

A sample of 417 individuals belonging to three Tupi‐Mondé‐speaking tribes (Gavião, Surui, Zoró) were variously studied in relation to 26 genetic protein systems. Previous investigations performed among the Surui in relation to some of these systems were confirmed. The three groups do not depart markedly from the genetic pattern already established for South American Indians and show low inter‐ethnic admixture. When these results are combined with those from 10 other Tupi tribes, two clear geographic groupings (southeastern and northwestern) can be discerned. Using different methods to evaluate the same genetic distance matrices, different patterns of association between the Tupi‐Mondé populations were obtained. The populations are probably too similar among themselves, blurring finer relationships. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 10:711–722, 1998.

Demographic and blood genetic characteristics in an Amazonian population

Demographic, epidemiological and genetic studies are reported from 595 persons living in Parintins, a community situated at the extreme East of the State of Amazonas, Brazil. The average distance traveled by the adults studied from their birthplaces to Parintins was 116 kms. Marital distances, estimated in three generations, ranged from 35 km to 174 km, and parent-offspring distances from 88 km to 157 km. Most of these dispersion measures showed a high degree of correlation. The genetic data involved nine systems (ABO, Rh, Hb, ESD, CA 2 , Hp, Tf, Cp and Al). One special item of interest was the occurrence of the rare variant ESD 4 . Largely negative results concerning specific phenotype differences in malaria susceptibility, as well as in general mortality or fertility, were obtained. Preliminary quantitative estimates of the racial composition of this trihybrid mixed population indicates that it should be 67% White, 29% Indian and 4% Black.